DEMAND PLANNER
Job Purpose
Responsible for managing the business Demand Plan as well as performing detailed analytics in order to provide insights to the business on the demand opportunity and related risks. The Demand Plan will be used to inform budgeting and financial planning, sales targets, investment into working capital, activity resourcing, inventory level as well as business stock age management. The Role will be responsible for the creation of reporting standards (dashboards, presentations etc.) that will be used during business forums for the presentation of demand insights. The role will be the key cross functional role interfacing between sales, marketing, finance and supply chain.
Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Area 1: Demand Planning and Forecasting
•Participate in the development of the KWAL Business Strategy through providing inputs to a high-level Demand Forecast.
•Assist in developing KWAL Business Plan by providing expertise that contributes to the strategic and operational direction of the Business and Demand Forecasts for the next 5 Years
•Compute and highlight the potential short and longer-term positive and negative impacts that volume, profit and market share can have on the business in a Risk & Opportunity matrix.
•Lead and actively participate in targeted value-add revenue growth modelling for innovation sizing and business planning
•Perform analysis and interpretation of a wide range of applicable data and information which will result in a Demand Plan with a high level of accuracy.
•Interrogate Big Data and analyse this through applicable analytics to obtain information on aspects such as patterns, trends and associations that may influence Forecasts.
•Develop the base-line forecast (Sales History data base) by accessing applicable data from the Sales History data base on the ERP System and populate forecasting software to enable a statistical view of sales history over a specified time period.
•Develop the base-line forecast (Insight and Activity data base) by continuously recording data and information on the Insight and Activity Data Base to ensure comprehensive information is captured and is easily accessible.
•Generate the Demand Forecast for the Demand Review and finalise into the Demand Plan.
Area 2: Market Insights
•Continually collect data and information to enable insights into knowledge and understanding of possible influences on the forecast.
•Constantly monitor the external environment to gain qualitative information that may lead to opportunities or risks to business growth and/or business sustainability.
•Share applicable data, information and ideas with other Demand Planners, to align sites where possible, and to generate information, ideas and actions for building best practice across the business.
Area 3: Product Classification
•Conduct an ABC Analysis for each product in the Portfolio and statistically map the SKU’s position in its life-cycle.
•Initiate formal discussions with relevant stakeholders on the health of each SKU, as well as the most viable initiatives to implement, to move SKU’s to a ‘higher’ level or to discontinue dead and dying products.
•Jointly create a list of products to be rationalized or culled with Commercial and Supply Chain, and refine and develop insights for decision-making on how best to manage these.
•Lead the discussion on the results and recommendations coming out of the ABC Analysis at the Portfolio Management Meeting.
Area 4: Research & Development – NPD
•Research, and prepare data and information on new and changing products
•Gather information through engaging stakeholders; confirm new and changes to products that builds into the Forecast.
•Explore performance of previous new products within the categories or launched in other countries and gather learnings. Apply insights and learnings to the new products and establish the ‘fit’.
•Discuss new, changes in products, as well as forecast performance data along with Commercial launch and activity plans.
Area 5: Stocks quantity and age-risk management.
•Research, and prepare data and information on stocks quantity and age-risk management.
•Using applicable data and information on stock quantity and age-risk, translate influencing factors into insights and recommendations, to enable sound business decisions to be made to mitigate risk.
•Run a model to highlight exceptions based on slow movers and/or new products.
•Integrate decisions taken on the effective management of stock quantity and age-risk into the Demand Forecast.
Area 6: Reporting
•Track, and report on results against the Demand Plan
•Generate and present the detailed Demand Forecast at the Demand Review meeting and lead the discussions on the Forecast
•Submit the Consensus Demand Forecast into the S&OP process and discuss issues and changes in detail.
•Load the final Demand Plan into the ERP system
•Track and analyse each stage in the sales cycle against the Demand Plan on a monthly basis, to assess results against Priority Indicators
•Analyse and interpret data from the system to determine variances, and reasons for variances in results, against the Forecast
•Identify the highest variances from the forecast accuracy data, conduct an exercise on forecast bias that enables trends for the future to be determined
•Carry out a variance analysis to manage its influence on forecasting going forward.
Minimum Requirements
•A Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field.
•A masters in a relevant field will be an added advantage.
•At least five (5) years’ experience in a commercial division with exposure on majority of the key areas (Sales & Distribution)
•Experience with an automated sales environment is essential.
•Project management experience.
Competencies/Attributes
•Ability to build collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders
•Demonstrate an ability to rapidly analyse situations, make judgments and decisions in challenging circumstances, and confidently and clearly discuss information to influence stakeholder decisions, as applicable.
•Ability to continually enhance and develop stakeholder relationships through giving and openly receiving feedback.
•Develop credibility and trust with stakeholders through open and ethical behaviour, and consistency in all dealings.
•Ability to manage disagreements and conflicting opinions constructively, and display an ability to use ‘high gain’ questions and address stakeholder concerns
•Ability to communicate openly, honestly and respectfully with others, using a constructive approach, and with a focus on good two-way communication.
•Demonstrate personal leadership and commitment to development
•Ability to influence different stakeholders in various situations as applicable.
•Demonstrate resilience and adaptability to change
•Ability to apply effective problem-solving methods to resolve workplace problems and issues
•Practical experience in use of MS packages and ERP systems.
•Experience in Statistical demand planning system.
•Strong analytical approach to problem-solving that generates cost-effective and commercially viable solutions taking into consideration company targets.
•High level of integrity.
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